Drones and similar aerial applications present unique challenges during flight, necessitating specific considerations for optical solutions. Over the years, drone applications have expanded to include inspection, mapping, delivery, security, agriculture, and warehouse management. A common requirement across these flight applications, whether a rotor or wing-based drone, is the need for lightweight lenses, as every additional ounce on a drone impacts its overall performance and flight time. Often, lenses must be specially designed to meet the unique demands of each application.
Many drones undertake extensive flight durations and operate in rigorous environments, drawing demanding requirements for each system component. As a result, lenses for these applications are typically all-glass, high-resolution fisheye lenses that are lightweight and have low F/#s. Many of these products require 8 megapixels or more of resolution, particularly in the M12 format, and commonly feature lenses weighing less than 12 grams. In some instances, high dynamic range (HDR), Day/Night operation w/ or w/o additional IR illumination(RGBIR), and lens heaters are integrated into the optical system. This is especially important for drones, where superior performance is crucial.
Sunex is proud to have developed projects with leading companies across all drone applications, further advancing the technology driving this industry. Here are some of our off-the-shelf products customers have used in commercial drones and adjacent application areas.
PN | Application | Sensor Format | Resolution | HFOV | F/# | Weight(g) |
DSL217 | Warehouse | 1/4″ | 5MP | 185 | 1.8 | 4.14 |
DSL218 | Warehouse | 1/3” | 5MP | 180 | 2 | 5.32 |
DSL219 | Warehouse | 1/2″ | 10MP | 163 | 2 | 11.95 |
DSL166 | Delivery | 1/1.7” | 8MP | 120 | 1.6 | 11.4 |
DSL618 | Delivery | 1/2.3” | 12MP | 185 | 1.8 | 11.4 |
DSL619 | Delivery/Security | 1/3” | 12MP | 185 | 1.8 | 11.1 |
DSL255 | Delivery/Security | 1/2.3” | 14MP | 185 | 2 | 7.9 |
DSL239 | Delivery/Security | 1/2″ | 14MP | 180 | 2.4 | 10.3 |
DSl491 | Delivery/Security | 1/2.3” | 16MP | 117 | 2.8 | 11.4 |